EAGLE NEWS

October 13, 2023

CHS CELEBRATES…

Spectacular Performances!

CONGRATULATIONS to Ms.Vanover and all of our students who performed in our Fall Choir Concert!!!!

Our Concert Choir, C# A cappella, Bella Voce, Quintet, and Chamber Choir were INCREDIBLE!!!!!

 

Amazing October concert by Mr. Boggs and the CHS String Ensemble, String Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra!!!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Date	Time	Event
October 13- 14		Homecoming Weekend (Pancake breakfast, parade, game, and dance)
October 13 - November 14		Friends of Music Annual Fruit Sale
October 18		PSAT - Grades 10 and 11
October 18		Senior Tropical Night DATE CHANGED TO MARCH 15, 2024!
October 20		Schools closed for students
October 21		Friends of Music Mattress Sale, CHS Cafeteria 10 AM - 5 PM
October 25		Flu Vaccination Clinic
October 26 -29		CHS Theatre presents Lost Girl  Performances at 7 PM on October 26, 27, and 28 Performances at 2 PM on October 28 and 29
October 31		3-hour early dismissal; end of first marking period ASVAB Fall administration
November 8		National Letter of Intent Signing Day 3:15 PM CHS Main Gymnasium
November 8		Lifetouch Picture Retake Day for Grades 9, 10, 11
November 12		Online Winter Sports Registration Closes
November 15		First day of Winter Sports Tryouts
November 28		Winter Athletic Orientation Program for Parents - 6:30 PM in Auditorium with breakout sessions to follow
December 9		Active Minds Holiday Thrift Shop - 9AM - 12 PM, CHS Cafeteria
June 11		Last scheduled day of school  Last inclement weather day weather day June 18

 

HOMECOMING IS HERE!

Welcome all Eagles, Eagle Families and Friends, Future Eagles, and Alumni!

                                        GO EAGLES!

 

Jazz Band Welcomes the Students and Staff to the Start of a Great Day!
 

 

Many thanks to our incredible SGA Board, our SGA Advisors, Ms. Holt and Dr. McDonough, and all of the staff who supported an amazing day of activities to kick off Homecoming Weekend.
 

 

Outstanding Student Recognition!

Congratulations, Eagles!

 

Schedule of Homecoming Events for Saturday, October 14

• PTSA Pancake Breakfast, 7:00 – 10:00 AM

•   Homecoming Parade, 10:15 – 11 AM

•   Varsity Football Game vs. Mt. Hebron, 12 PM

• Homecoming Dance, 7 - 10 PM

 

The CHS Boosters will be selling spiritwear on Saturday at both the Pancake Breakfast and Homecoming Football Game!

 

 PTSA Homecoming Pancake Breakfast

Enjoy a wonderful meal to start off your Homecoming festivities! All you can eat pancakes, sausage, fruit, drinks, and more... Be part of this CHS Homecoming tradition! Tickets are on sale now. 

Looking for Something to do on Saturday Morning? 

PTSA needs help for the Pancake Breakfast! Please consider volunteering for a shift during this community favorite event.  Use the Signup Genius link to sign up now. 

Thanks in advance for lending a hand!

 

Homecoming Parade 10:30 AM

The Homecoming Parade is back with floats, performances, and more! Bring your family, friends, and neighbors and line the Centennial Lane parade route from Centennial Lane Elementary School to Centennial High School.

 

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

New Date for 10th Grade PSAT

On Wednesday, 10th grade students were scheduled to take the digital PSAT/NMSQT. Unfortunately, due to high traffic on the College Board’s test administration application between 7:45am and 9:15am, HCPSS was advised by College Board to cancel testing. HCPSS has been in communication with the College Board, and they have assured us that the issue was resolved and will not cause future disruptions.

  PSAT testing at Centennial has been rescheduled to October 18, 2023. Both 10th grade and 11th grade students will test on this day. Seniors are allowed to take a discretionary day. 

 

Mattress Sale Fundraiser 10/21 10am to 5pm at CHS Cafeteria

Centennial High School's Friends of Music is hosting its annual Mattress Sale fundraiser Saturday, 10/21, from 10am to 5pm in our school cafeteria. We have partnered with Custom Fundraising Solutions who works with Mattress Warehouse to transform our cafeteria into a mattress showroom! There are 30 different models to try out. All brand names, all brand new mattresses, all delivered to your home, all at prices 50% off of retail! If you are in need of a new mattress, sheets, or pillows, please stop by and shop! Please also help spread the word with neighbors, family, and friends who may be in the market.Thank you for your support year after year! https://fb.me/e/x7cf8J132

 

Friends of Music Annual Fruit Sale

It's that time of year again! Friends of Music is working with PeeJay Farms for our annual Fruit Sale. This is a very successful fundraiser for our music program, but we need your help! Please pass along the website to family and friends so that they can order delicious fruits and treats [shipping is available on some items].  https://freshfruitorder.org/CHSMUSIC/Organizations/LandingPage.aspx.  The sale will go on until 11/3. Fruit will be delivered to school tentatively on 11/14, but more information will be released when we have a firm delivery day/time.

Thank you for supporting Friends of Music and the music department at Centennial!

 

The Council of Elders Community Academy – Navigating HCPSS

On October 14 from 9-10:30 AM,  parents and families are invited to attend a virtual session regarding how to effectively maintain communication with your child’s school. HCPSS staff will demonstrate how parents can monitor students’ performance by utilizing school system online resources. Additionally, families will receive strategies to help ensure successful parent-teacher conferences. This session is for families of students at elementary, middle or high. To register, please complete the registration form linked here Links to an external site..  Please see the TCOE Navigating HCPSS flyer Links to an external site. for more information. 

 

CHS Fall Theatre Presents Lost Girl

Don't miss Lost Girl opening on October 26th and running through the 29th.  Lost Girl tells the story of Wendy after her adventures in Neverland with Peter Pan. In many ways, it is her coming-of-age story as she tackles the challenges in friendships, family, and romance that we face as we grow up. It is a beautiful script and story that you won't want to miss. 

LINK: https://hcpss.booktix.com/dept/chs/e/LOST

 Email Mr. Traver with any questions: jacob_traver@hcpss.org

 

FLU Clinic, October 25

Each year, the Howard County Public School System partners with the Maryland Partnership for Prevention to bring flu immunizations into our schools for students. This year, they will also be offering the latest Covid vaccine. The clinic at Centennial High School will be held on October 25, 2023, during school hours. If you would like your child to be vaccinated against the flu and/or the Moderna Covid at this clinic, please register at this link:

https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/0247912065

You are not required to provide your child’s insurance information. It is perfectly fine to receive both vaccines on the same day. If you have any concerns about the new Covid vaccine, you are advised to speak with your child’s pediatrician. All in-school clinics will be closed to registration one week before the clinic date to allow our health room staff time to review and prepare the consents and make sure enough vaccine is ordered. If you have any questions, please call your school’s health room at (410) 313-2533.

 

Survey Participants Needed!

The students in the Project Lead the Way Engineering Design and Development course have developed market research behavioral surveys that will allow them to collect data regarding consumers' attitudes towards their product ideas.

The surveys will be open until October 20. 

Each survey will take less than 3-5 minutes to complete. 

We are not collecting email addresses so your privacy is assured.

 

Low Cost Sustainable Packaging Project 

https://forms.gle/gBCLwv2m7QzmbTsV6 

 

Bacteria on Cell Phones and Mobile Devices Project

https://forms.gle/zn7YCCCfawJsWc3w5 

 

Caffeine Pollution Project

https://forms.gle/ke4Qch9KPGuu2wPA7 

 

Thank you for taking the time to assist the teams. 

 

Active Minds Holiday Thrift Shop

 Active Minds is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental health, especially among young adults, via peer-to-peer dialogue and interaction.  The Centennial High School chapter of Active Minds will be hosting a Holiday "Thrift" Shop community fundraiser on December 9, from 9-12 in the CHS Cafeteria. 

 We are currently collecting donations of new or gently used items including, but not limited to: clothing (not shoes), board games, toys, candles, picture frames, arts and crafts, jewelry etc.  We are collecting through November 17th.  We have boxes set up outside of the main office.  Items may be dropped off during school hours and at homecoming events on Saturday 10/14.  Please contact Stacy Rosuck stacy_rosuck@hcpss.org if you have any questions.

 

Centennial Boys Soccer Krispy Kreme Fundraiser

We are offering digital dozen donuts at the price of $15, with the program receiving $7.50 from each sale.These dozen donuts can be redeemed at any Krispy Kreme store across the United States. If you purchase multiple dozens, there is no requirement to redeem them all at once. Additionally, you have the option to gift a digital dozen to someone by providing their email address. Buyers must buy these donuts via the link attached. This fundraiser is taking place throughout the whole month of October.

Link: https://www.groupraise.com/offer-campaigns/14826-centennial-high-school-boys-soccer-team-krispy-kreme-digital-dozens

 

Winter Sports Registration 

Attention all Eagles interested in trying out for a winter sport!  Winter Sports Registration will open thru your Parent's/Guardian's Portal at HCPSS Connect, starting this Sunday, October 1st, THRU SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH!!!  All students interested in trying out for a Winter Sport are to have their Parent/Guardian complete their Online Athletic Registration thru their Parent Portal at HCPSS Connect. Read more.

 

Winter Sports Tryouts begin Wednesday, November 15th.  

All Students must have completed their entire online registration in order to participate in tryouts.  The Winter Sports Tryout Schedule for November 15th, will be posted on the chs.hcpss.org website soon. Read more. 

 

Fan Expectations and Safety at HCPSS Athletics Events

High school athletic events serve as a wonderful opportunity for students, friends, families, staff and community members to come together in support of their favorite teams. To ensure these games are able to be safely enjoyed by all in attendance, it is imperative that everyone adheres to the rules, expectations and laws in place to ensure safety. 

All children who are in 8th grade or younger must be accompanied by an adult at all HCPSS athletics contests or will be turned away from entry. Adult supervision must continue for the entirety of the athletic contest. 

Athletic contests are considered extensions of the school day, and behaviors that violate the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct or Board of Education policies are subject to the same disciplinary measures as those that occur during the school day. Any students found to engage in inappropriate, illegal or dangerous behavior, including verbal and physical abuse at games, are subject to discipline, including the forfeiture of the game itself. Non-student spectators who violate event rules may be asked to leave the premises and may be banned for the remainder of the season. Additionally, the Howard County Police Department maintains a presence at games and will ensure all applicable laws are adhered to. 

Please note that substances such as tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol are illegal to have on school grounds. Furthermore, no spectators are permitted to be under the influence of these substances upon entering school grounds. 

 HCPSS schools are welcoming environments for our friends around the county and state. All spectators are expected to display good sportsmanship to the athletes, coaches, officials, members of the marching band, cheerleaders and poms, dance teams, opposing fans, and everyone in attendance. Please show respect for all those around you. 

 

Lifetouch School Pictures

Don’t forget to order this year’s school pictures! Lifetouch invites you to enjoy 10% off your order using CODE F202310OFF. This offer expires May 1, 2024.  Redeem Now

Picture retake day for grades 9, 10, and 11 is Wednesday, November 8, 2023.

 

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Mentors Needed for Students in Engineering Design and Development  

Students enrolled in Engineering Design and Development (EDD) are in search of mentors to assist them in developing solutions to their final projects. The EDD class requires students to develop a product or system from its formative stages of research and development to a testable prototype and then defend their idea before a patent-style review board of engineering and marketing experts. 

Ideally, mentors should be practicing or retired engineers who guide students through the process of how to solve their problem and develop their solution. Mentor meetings may be face-to-face or virtual during school hours once a week for 15-20 minutes. If interested, please contact Eric Cullings at eric_cullings@hcpss.org. Read more.

 

Raise Money for CHS by Cleaning Up Your Closet

Clean out your closets and bring us your unwanted clothing, footwear, textiles, accessories including handbags, backpacks, jewelry and more!! Our school’s Clothing Cash collection bin is located at the curbside of BMMS. It is the far end, two bins when you drive down by Burleigh Manor MS toward CHS. The funds generated from your donated items will directly benefit and support our programs here at Centennial High School. Thank you very much for your support!

 

RTA Bus Passes

Thanks to a continued partnership between HCPSS, Howard County Government, and Regional Transportation Agency (RTA), all HCPSS middle and high school students have access to free RTA bus passes through summer 2024. Students have full access to the RTA system and are not limited to transportation to and from schools or to school-related activities.   

If your child is interested, they can visit our front office to request a free pass. Read more. 

 

Calling all Sophomores in the Class of 2026! 

Our annual donation campaign is up and running. Families received a letter home in the mail last week. This year we will be in charge of securing a Prom location and beginning the early planning process for next year's Prom. We can't do this without your support! Read more

 

Attention Seniors – Fall Discretionary Day Date Change

October 18, 2023, will be a discretionary day for all seniors. Seniors should use this time to conduct college visits, complete college applications, participate in job shadowing and/or schedule doctor's appointments, etc.  English teachers will be holding a College Essay Writing Workshop in the cafeteria. Seniors are highly encouraged to attend.  Please contact Ms. Somerville (jeri_somerville@hcpss.org) if you have questions.  

 

Update Your Family File

All families must update their emergency contact information annually. We’d like Centennial to be the first high school to have 100% of the Family File information to be fully updated, so visit HCPSS Connect today and click submit on the final screen! Read more.

 

Apply for Financial Aide

The HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.

Parents/guardians must submit a new application every school year to maintain their student’s eligibility.

 

Student Technology Supports

Students, please remember to bring your chromebook fully charged to school every day.  We have a limited number of loaner chromebooks reserved only for students with broken chromebooks.  If your chromebook is not working, please bring it to the media center.

 

Student Meal Payments

New this year, HCPSS will use LINQ Connect, a secure, online portal that allows families to make payments to their child’s meal account, monitor their child’s account, schedule automatic recurring payments, set up low balance alerts, submit a Free and Reduced Meals program application, and more. More information, including how to set up your account, is available online.

Lockers

Lockers are available to all students throughout the school year. Students may come to the front office before the school day begins, during their lunch shifts, or during Eagle Time to request a locker assignment.

 

Parking Permits

Permission for students to drive and park vehicles on school system property is a privilege. Parking spaces for students at Centennial High School are limited. Accordingly, in order to be granted this privilege, applications for parking permits will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis in priority order: 1) Seniors; 2) Students enrolled in Work Study/Intern Mentor Programs; and, 3) Juniors.

Permits will be issued in this order through the end of the third week of school. Beginning September 18th, remaining permits will be issued in the order applications are received. Permits will not be reserved for students who do not yet have a valid Maryland Driver's License. Students ARE NOT required by the school system to attend a ‘Safe Driving’ presentation this school year.

To apply for your permit:

• Login to HCPSS.me.

• Complete the application packet and save as a pdf.

• Take a photo of your driver’s license.

• Follow this link to submit the online application. The information collected through the online application is required by HCPSS.

• Your submission will be reviewed, and you will be notified via email once it is accepted.

For questions about applying for a parking permit at CHS please contact Kristen Forman at Kristen_forman@hcpss.org.

 

Attendance

Please follow these procedures to report an absence:

Absence notes and tardy notes for excused absences are to be emailed to CHSabsence@hcpss.org. Students who bring in physical notes may drop them off in the front office before the start of the school day. 

Discretionary absence requests must be completed and attached through email in advance of the absence. The last possible day of school for the 23/24 SY is June 18th. If there are any make-up days added to the end of the year, we need you to be available to take exams on any day from June 7-18. Any requests for Discretionary Absences during that window of time will not be approved. Likewise, Discretionary Absences will not be granted during the week of January 16th, mid-term exam week. For questions about attendance, please reach out to our Attendance Secretary, Diane Howse at diane_howse@hcpss.org.

 

 Support the Groups Who Support Us

The CHS PTSA offers programs, services, and supports to enhance the high school experience for all students, teachers, and parents. Join the PTSA now by logging into the  CHS PTSA website. 

The CHS Boosters serve all student extracurricular activities, including sports teams, school clubs, and student organizations. Join the Boosters now by logging into the CHS Boosters website.

Friends of Music supports vocal and instrumental music at CHS to guarantee the sustainability of these programs and to provide vital support to our music directors. Help our talented musicians thrive by joining us today through the FOM website: http://www.centennialmusic.org/.

It is important to support organizations that do so much for us and our students. We are a community! 

Stay Connected

•  Centennial High School’s website is a great source of information at https://chs.hcpss.org.

• On Twitter @hcpss_CHS and Instagram @CentennialHS.

•  CHS PTSA https://www.chs-ptsa.org/and  CHS Boosters https://www.centennialboostersonline.com/.

• CHS Friends of Music http://www.centennialmusic.org/

•   Register to receive school system updates and alerts at https://www.hcpss.org/hcpss-news/, click on Subscribe and select Centennial High School.

 

COMMUNITY NEWS

Medication and Sharps Disposal Take Back Day 

The Take Back Day is October 28, in the Wilde Lake Village Center Parking Lot from 10 AM - 2 PM. Safely dispose of prescription medication, over-the-counter meds, sharps, vitamins, pet meds, vape devices, inhalers, and more!  Also, 100 medication lockboxes purchased by HCPSS will be given away for FREE!  

 

HC DrugFree Parent Classes

HC DrugFree is offering Guiding Good Choices parenting classes to help equip parents and/or grandparents with the knowledge and skills to reduce the risk that their children will use drugs and alcohol or engage in other dangerous behaviors. These classes are for families with children 9 - 14 yrs. old and held over Zoom.   

 

Howard Lions' Pride Third Annual Craft Fair

Saturday, October 21st,  from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Howard High School. Our 100+ vendors will be selling crafts, books, candles, kitchen goods, jewelry, home decor, clothing, accessories, and much more! General Info link: https://tinyurl.com/3tzxuhme.